Running To Stand Still: The hidden ones
Episode 12
An hour later, Miroku goes forth from the cage. He feels much better. But he has the worst hangover of his life; and that�s saying something. Kouu, Kaze, and Kousetsu are guarding/escorting him. He sees Yamaneko leaving a large house; she walks to him. �Leave us.� she tells the guards. Turning in the obvious expectation that she will be followed; Yamaneko walks off. When they have cleared the others, she says, �Before the tests continue, you should see what prize awaits you. This village would be your home; and a fine one too. We�re self-sufficient: we grow our own food, make our tools and clothing. We buy metals from feudal lords; but never openly.� Miroku�s eye is drawn to a young girl sitting by herself. He says, �That is the first young child I�ve seen. One of my predecessor�s last?� Yamaneko shakes her head, �No, the last father died 8 years ago; Ko is 4. She is of this village; but not of our flesh. It must have occurred to you that we do not only bear female offspring.� Miroku says, �Indeed it had.� She continues, �It is the way of the world that many families will gladly accept a boy child, if they can have none of their own. It is also the way of the world that many girl children are simply killed at birth; so as to allow for more sons. We have arrangements with a number of villages; they give these children to us; and, when there is a father, we give our boys to them.� Nodding Miroku says, �So that child, Ko, has no companions her own age?� Yamaneko says, �No, but even if we had a father, she would have been alone. Such children are ostracized by the others.� Miroku says, �That�s terrible.� The ninja says, �Is it? Such children become strong warriors; the pain forges them into hard steel. I should know; I am not of the flesh.� The two progress in silence until they reach the woods at the village�s edge. Yamaneko leads Miroku into the shelter of the forest. �Quickly,� she says, �Go; I do not want to see you killed! No patrols will pass that way for some time!� Miroku says, �My friends, what will happen to them if I leave?� Yamaneko says, �They will be put to death; but you cannot save them. Go now before we are discovered!� After a slight pause, Miroku says, �I will not abandon them; let us return to the village and begin the tests.� Smiling smugly, Yamaneko says, �They have already begun; and you have passed this one. If you had gone, I would have killed you. We are not a people driven by honor, but the father must have some principles. As you say, let us return now.�